U.S. patent application number 13/753086 was filed with the patent office on 2013-06-06 for operating system and method for a vehicle having an automatically closing hatch.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft. The applicant listed for this patent is Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Martin WECHS.
Application Number | 20130139440 13/753086 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44359668 |
Filed Date | 2013-06-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130139440 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WECHS; Martin |
June 6, 2013 |
Operating System and Method for a Vehicle Having an Automatically
Closing Hatch
Abstract
An operating system and method for a vehicle having an
automatically closing hatch, includes an operating switch, a
programmable electronic controller, and a device for monitoring the
hatch opening when the hatch is open. The operating switch
generates an operating request signal for closing the hatch when
the switch is actuated, the signal being an input signal to the
controller. The monitoring device is a light barrier device having
at least one light-emitting actuator and at least one
light-detecting sensor arranged at the edge region of the hatch
opening and also connected to the controller by electrical cables.
The controller is programmed such that, when the operating request
signal is present and the hatch is open, the controller outputs a
pivot command to a closing system for closing the hatch only if the
presence of an obstacle is not detected by the monitoring device
for the hatch opening.
Inventors: |
WECHS; Martin; (Muenchen,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft; |
Muenchen |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Muenchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
44359668 |
Appl. No.: |
13/753086 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2011/062054 |
Jul 14, 2011 |
|
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13753086 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
49/26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05F 15/43 20150115;
E05F 2015/435 20150115; E05Y 2600/45 20130101; E05Y 2400/452
20130101; E05Y 2900/546 20130101; E05F 15/00 20130101; E05F
2015/436 20150115; E05Y 2400/86 20130101; E05Y 2400/61
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
49/26 |
International
Class: |
E05F 15/00 20060101
E05F015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 30, 2010 |
DE |
10 2010 038 687.1 |
Claims
1. An operating system for a vehicle having an automatically
closing hatch, comprising: an operating switch operatively
configured to generate an operating request signal for closing the
hatch when the operating switch is actuated; a programmable
electronic controller operatively configured to receive the
operating request signal; a light barrier device operatively
configured to monitor a hatch opening of the vehicle, the light
barrier device comprising at least one light-emitting actuator and
at least one light-detecting sensor arranged in an edge region of
the hatch opening, the light barrier device being coupled to the
programmable electronic controller via cabling; and wherein the
programmed electronic controller is programmed such that, when the
operating request signal is received and the hatch is open, a pivot
command is output to initiate a closing of the hatch only when a
presence of an obstacle is not detected by the light barrier device
that monitors the hatch opening.
2. The operating system according to claim 1, wherein the at least
one light-emitting actuator is controlled via the programmable
electronic controller to emit a timed or modulated light, and
further wherein the presence of the obstacle is detected when the
timed or modulated light is not detected by all light-detecting
sensors.
3. The operating system according to claim 1, wherein the at least
one light-emitting actuator is an infrared light-emitting
diode.
4. The operating system according to claim 1, wherein the operating
switch is a proximity sensor that operates in a non-contact manner
in a proximity of the hatch.
5. The operating system according to claim 3, wherein the operating
switch is a proximity sensor that operates in a non-contact manner
in a proximity of the hatch.
6. The operating system according to claim 1, wherein the light
barrier device is supplied with electric power via a voltage supply
connection of at least one of taillights, brakes lights, turn
signal lights, luggage compartment illumination lights, and license
plate illumination lights of the vehicle.
7. A method of operating a vehicle having an automatically closing
hatch, at least one operating switch, a programmable electronic
controller, and a hatch opening monitoring device, the method
comprising the acts of: generating, via the operating switch, an
operating request signal for closing the hatch; monitoring, with a
light barrier monitoring device, an opening of the hatch; and when
the operating request signal is present and the hatch is open,
outputting a pivot command to close the hatch only when an obstacle
is not detected by the monitoring of the hatch opening.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the act of monitoring
the hatch opening is carried out by the light barrier monitoring
device comprising a light-emitting actuator and a light-detecting
sensor, the actuator and sensor being respectively arranged in edge
regions of the hatch opening; and wherein the light-emitting
actuator emits a timed or modulated light such that an obstacle is
detected when the timed or modulated light is not detected by the
light-detecting sensor.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the act of generating
an operating request signal is carried out via a proximity sensor
that operates in a non-contact manner and is arranged in a
proximity of the hatch.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT International
Application No. PCT/EP2011/062054, filed Jul. 14, 2011, which
claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 from German Patent
Application No. DE 10 2010 038 687.1, filed Jul. 30, 2010, the
entire disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A control device for a vehicle having an automatically
opening hatch is known, for example, from German Patent document DE
10 2004 041 709 B3. This control device provides an operating
switch for generating an operating request signal preferably by
non-contact actuation.
[0003] Furthermore, motor vehicles of the applicant are known to
have an automatically opening or closing hatch that can be
activated by way of remote control via a key depression.
[0004] In addition, particularly in connection with automatic
window closing systems, jamming protection devices are known which,
when a jamming situation is detected, cause a stopping or reversing
of the window that is being closed.
[0005] It is an object of the invention to further develop a
control device and method for automatically closing a hatch with a
view to securely preventing a collision.
[0006] According to the invention, this and other objects are
achieved by providing an operating system and method for a vehicle
having an automatically closing hatch, at least one operating
switch, a programmable electronic controller, and a device for
monitoring the hatch opening when the hatch is open. The operating
switch generates an operating request signal for closing the hatch
when the switch has been actuated, which signal is an input signal
of the controller. The device for monitoring the hatch opening is a
light barrier comprising at least one light-emitting actuator and
at least one light-detecting sensor which are arranged in the edge
region of the hatch opening and are also connected to the
controller by way of electric cables. The controller is programmed
such that, when the operating request signal is present and the
hatch is open, the controller outputs a pivot command to a closing
system for closing the hatch only if the presence of an obstacle is
not detected by the device for monitoring the hatch opening.
[0007] The light-emitting actuator is preferably triggered by the
controller for emitting a timed or modulated light so that an
obstacle is not erroneously detected as a result of mere sun
radiation.
[0008] The invention is based on the following considerations. A
collision with objects or persons is to be prevented particularly
reliably especially when a non-contact proximity sensor is used as
the operating switch for triggering an operating request signal for
closing a hatch. An accidental triggering of the operating request
signal should also not result in a dangerous situation. In
particular, during an automatic closing of a rear hatch, there
could be the problem that a person who is bending his upper body
into the luggage compartment does not notice that the hatch is
closing. However, not only is a jamming protection system to be
activated, which normally permits a collision and stops or reverses
a movement only in the event of increased resistance, but,
according to the invention, a collision is to even be prevented or
a temporary deactivation is to be achieved.
[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] The figure illustrates an embodiment of the invention in a
schematic view of a motor vehicle having a hatch, which closes
automatically as a result of a pivoting command (closing command),
and having a device for monitoring the hatch opening which is
mounted on the hatch.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] In the illustrated embodiment, the hatch 2 is constructed as
a rear hatch of a motor vehicle. However, a hatch 2 could, for
example, also be a door, a front opening hood or a fuel tank
cap.
[0012] The automatic closing of the rear hatch 2 is initiated,
starting from an open state of the rear hatch 2, by a closing
command in the form of a control signal "c" of a programmable
controller 6 to a closing system, composed, for example, of a
further control unit 16 and an electromechanical actuator 10. The
rear hatch 2 is then moved, by way of an electrically,
hydraulically or pneumatically activatable motor function, into a
closed position if the presence of an obstacle is not detected by
way of the device 12 and 14 (or 14a, 14b and 14c) for monitoring
the luggage compartment opening.
[0013] The motor vehicle also includes at least one, but preferably
two, proximity sensor(s) which is (are) operatively connected with
the controller 6. For the purpose of simplification, only one
proximity sensor 4 will be mentioned in the following. The
proximity sensor 4 is an operating switch which is to be actuated
in an arbitrarily non-contact manner. When the actuation has taken
place, it generates an operating request signal "a" which is
transmitted as an input signal to the controller 6.
[0014] The controller 6 and the proximity switch 4 are either
separate programmable cooperating modules or (as illustrated here)
are integrated in a single electronic programmable module. The
invention may be contained in each module in the form of a program
or in the form of program parts.
[0015] The controller 6 is preferably constructed such that not
only the presence of the operating request signal a is monitored
but also, for example, the presence of an access authorization
device 8, here in the form of a radio transmitter key. The radio
transmitter key 8 could also have an operating switch 4, which is
not shown here. The radio transmitter key 8 could communicate
directly with the controller 6, or could communicate indirectly
with the controller 6 by way of a further control unit 16, which
may be assigned to a conventional central locking system.
[0016] The at least one proximity sensor 4 is preferably arranged
such that a user can cause it to switch or can switch it by
swinging his foot in the area between the vehicle body and the road
surface. The proximity sensor 4 is particularly arranged below a
bumper or is integrated on the bottom side of a bumper into the
latter. A proximity sensor of this type is described, for example,
in German Patent document DE 10 2004 041 709 B3 within the scope of
an automatic opening of a hatch.
[0017] In the following, the device 12 and 14 for monitoring the
luggage compartment opening for checking the presence of an
obstacle will be explained in greater detail.
[0018] On the lateral interior edge (here, on the left) of the
luggage compartment, preferably close to the taillights 18, a
light-emitting actuator is mounted, for example, in the form of an
infrared-light emitting diode 12, which is electrically supplied by
way of a voltage supply system 20, for example, below the covering
of the taillights 18. On the opposite lateral interior edge (here,
on the right) of the luggage compartment, also preferably close to
the taillights (not visible here), at least one light-detecting
sensor 14 is mounted, but preferably three light-detecting sensors
14a, 14b and 14c, which are also electrically supplied by way of a
voltage supply system, for example, below the covering of the
taillights (on the right vehicle side). The actuators and sensors
form a "light barrier function". The actuators and sensors can,
however, also be supplied with power by way of the power supply to
the brake lights, turn signal lights, or the lights for
illuminating the license plate.
[0019] By using three sensors, a larger surface of the hatch
opening can be monitored. However, the sensors 14a, 14b and 14c are
arranged in such an adjacent manner that, if possible, only one
actuator (here, the LED) 12 is required. Further, while the
illustrated embodiment forms the light barrier function using
actuators and sensors on the left and right edges of the luggage
compartment, it will be understood that other arrangements are
within the scope of the invention provided such arrangements can
detect collisions with objects or persons in or near the luggage
compartment area.
[0020] When an operating request signal a is generated by actuating
the operating switch or the proximity sensor 4, the light-emitting
actuator 12 is triggered by the controller 6 for emitting a timed
light b. An obstacle is detected corresponding to a light barrier
principle if the timed light b is not detected by all
light-detecting sensors 14a, 14b and 14c. The sensors 14a, 14b and
14c transmit corresponding signals to the controller 6, in which
case the analysis for detecting an obstacle is carried out by a
corresponding programming, preferably in the controller 6. When the
hatch is open, the controller 6 will then emit a pivoting command c
to the closing system 16 and 10 for closing the luggage compartment
2 only when no obstacle is detected.
[0021] The intensity of the timed light emitted by the
infrared-light emitting diode 12 may be variable, for example, as a
function of the brightness based on empirically determined
values.
[0022] The triggering of the infrared-light emitting diode 12 and
therefore the activation of the device for monitoring the luggage
compartment opening cannot be started before an operating request
signal a for closing the hatch is applied, in order to save power.
Moreover, it may be slightly delayed to allow a person some time to
move away from the closing hatch.
[0023] In the event of an intended protruding of objects from the
luggage compartment, it may be provided that the rear hatch 2 be
partially closed by way of an additional switch that is to be
actuated manually.
[0024] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to
illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since
modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit
and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the
art, the invention should be construed to include everything within
the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *